I Was The Only Omega In The Beast World-Chapter 81: CP: Pregnancy Pressure

"You’re not just some random pregnant bearer who fell in a river," he said slowly. "You’re something special. Something rare."

His aqua eyes glinted with something Alex couldn’t quite identify. "The ocean sent you to me for a reason."

[OH NO. OH NO NO NO. HOST, HE’S GETTING THAT LOOK. THE ’FATE SENT YOU TO ME’ LOOK.]

"The ocean didn’t send me," Alex said quickly.

"Gravity and river current sent me. Very different forces."

Zale laughed—a sound like bells chiming underwater.

"You have humor even when exhausted and stranded. I like that." He swam closer still, now within arm’s reach of the raft. "How far along are you?"

"I might give birth in two-three weeks," Alex said. "Six hatchlings."

"Six hatchlings!" Zale’s expression transformed into something almost reverent. "The ocean truly blessed you. We mer-people rarely have twins— let alone six of them—it’s considered a sign of exceptional favor from the tides."

He reached out slowly—giving Alex plenty of time to object—and placed a webbed hand gently on Alex’s belly.

The babies kicked immediately.

Zale’s face lit up with pure joy.

"They’re strong," he breathed. "So strong already. Your mates must be incredibly powerful to sire such vigorous cubs."

"They are," Alex confirmed. "And they’re going to be very worried. I need to—"

"Come to the tribe," Zale interrupted. "You’re exhausted, cold despite that fabric, and you need proper rest. Our healers can check that you and the cubs are truly unharmed. You can send bond signals to your mates from our settlement."

[That’s... actually not a terrible idea. You DO need medical attention. And if the Water Stone is with the Mer-Tribe, you’re already in the right place.]

"I don’t want to impose—" Alex started.

"It’s not an imposition," Zale said firmly. "It’s ocean law. Any bearer in distress in our waters receives immediate protection and care. Especially—"

His eyes dropped to Alex’s belly again. "—one carrying cubs. You’re under my personal protection now."

[AAAND there it is. Personal protection. That’s basically a claim of responsibility. Which in mer-culture probably means—]

"Does ’personal protection’ come with any... expectations?" Alex asked carefully.

Zale tilted his head again—that distinctly non-human gesture.

"It means I ensure your safety while you’re in our territory," he said. "It means no one harms you without answering to me. It means—"

He paused, something flickering in those aqua eyes. "It means I’m personally invested in your wellbeing. Which, yes, could lead to... deeper interest. But only if you’re amenable."

[AT LEAST HE’S HONEST ABOUT IT!]

"I’m not looking for another mate," Alex said directly. "I have two. I’m happy with two. I’m not interested in adding more."

"How can that be?," Zale said, rather disappointed. " A pregnant female needs multiple mates to support their pregnancy. Lack of mates can result in female’s death due to lack of protection and providers. "

Alex opened his mouth to correct Zale’s assumption about his gender—and then stopped.

Because a strange sensation was rolling through his body.

Not pain exactly, but... pressure. A tightness in his lower abdomen that made him catch his breath. The babies were moving differently now—less playful kicking, more... purposeful shifting.

[HOST? What’s wrong?]

"I don’t know," Alex whispered, pressing a hand to his belly. "Something feels... off."

Zale’s expression sharpened immediately, all playfulness vanishing.

"What kind of off?" he demanded, already reaching for the raft’s edge. "Pain? Bleeding? Contractions?"

"No, just—pressure. Like they’re all trying to move at once and there’s not enough room—"

The sensation intensified—not quite pain but definitely uncomfortable, like his entire belly was tightening from the inside out.

[SYSTEM SCAN ACTIVATED]

[Checking vitals...]

[Oh. Oh no.]

"What?" Alex demanded, fear spiking. "What’s ’oh no’?"

[The fall. The stress. The cold water. The adrenaline. Your body’s been through MASSIVE trauma in the last few hours. And you’re carrying SIX cubs who are already big for gestational age.]

[Your body is starting to go into early labor. Not immediate—you’re not delivering today—but the process has STARTED. You’re maybe a week away now instead of three.]

"A WEEK?!" Alex’s voice cracked. "But I’m not ready! We don’t have a safe place yet! My mates aren’t here! I can’t—"

"Breathe," Zale commanded, his voice taking on a strange harmonic quality that seemed to resonate through the water. "Breathe with me. In... out... in... out..."

Despite his panic, Alex found himself matching Zale’s breathing rhythm. The harmonic quality of the mer-prince’s voice was doing something—calming his racing heart, easing the tightness in his chest.

"Good," Zale said. "Now tell me exactly what your spirit guide said."

Alex repeated the system’s assessment—early labor, one week timeline, stress-induced.

Zale’s expression grew grave.

"You need bedrest," he said immediately. "Complete bedrest in a safe, calm environment. You need healers monitoring the cubs constantly. You need—"

He paused meaningfully. "You need MORE support than two mates can provide, especially when those mates are currently miles away and can’t reach you for at least a day."

[He’s... not wrong, Host. Carrying six cubs through the final stage of pregnancy, especially with complications? You need a VILLAGE. Medical support, constant monitoring, multiple people ready to help when labor actually starts...]

"My mates will be here soon," Alex said, but even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"Soon isn’t soon enough," Zale said bluntly. "You’re in pre-labor NOW. You need help NOW. And I’m offering it."

He pulled himself up onto the edge of the raft—his powerful tail keeping him balanced—and looked Alex directly in the eyes.

"Come to our tribe," he said. "Let our healers examine you. Rest in a proper den while we send signals to your mates with your exact location. And let me—"

He hesitated, then continued with careful honesty. "Let me help. As a protector. As someone who understands what it means to carry life in dangerous circumstances."

"You’ve been pregnant?" Alex asked, surprised.

"No," Zale admitted. "But my sister was. Carried twins. Nearly died even though she had support from the whole tribe during the final weeks. We almost lost her and her cubs."

His aqua eyes were intense, earnest. "I won’t let that happen to you. Not if I can prevent it."

[HOST... I think you should consider this. Not as a romantic thing. Not as adding another mate. But as practical survival. You NEED medical attention. You NEED a safe place to rest. And your mates NEED to know you’re somewhere secure while they travel to reach you.]

The pressure in Alex’s belly pulsed again—stronger this time, undeniable.

The babies were running out of room. His body was preparing for delivery whether he was ready or not.

And he was floating in the ocean, miles from his mates, with only a raft and emergency supplies between him and catastrophe.

"Just... medical care?" Alex asked carefully. "Safe rest? Help until my mates arrive?"

"That’s what I’m offering," Zale confirmed. "Anything beyond that would be your choice entirely. I won’t push. I won’t manipulate. I’ll just... be here. As support."

He smiled slightly—less predatory now, more genuine.

"Though I should warn you—our healers will probably insist you have at least one mer-person attending you constantly once they assess your condition. Six cubs in pre-labor is NOT something we take lightly."

[Which means you’d essentially have a dedicated medical team. Which... honestly sounds really good right now?]

Alex pressed both hands to his belly, feeling the babies shift and press against his palms.

Six lives depending on him making the right choice.

Two mates racing to reach him but— who knows when they’ll arrive.

And a mer-prince offering sanctuary with no strings attached except the ones Alex chose to accept.

"Okay," Alex said finally. "Yes. Take me to your healers. Let them check the babies. I’ll rest while we wait for my mates."

Relief washed over Zale’s face.

"Good choice," he said. Then he slipped back into the water and positioned himself at the front of the raft. "Hold on. The tide is with us—we’ll reach the settlement within the hour."

He began swimming, pulling the raft with effortless strength, moving through the water faster than any current could have carried them.

[QUEST ACCEPTED: "Sanctuary in the Shallows"

Objective: Reach Mer-Tribe settlement safely

Receive medical assessment

Rest until mates arrive

Complications: Pre-labor, time pressure, potential cultural misunderstandings

Romantic Interest Probability: Still high but NOT immediate

Success depends on: Communication, boundaries, trust]

As they moved through the delta toward the open ocean, Alex felt the mate marks pulse on his body.

Naga and Leo were still coming. Still tracking him.

He focused on the bond, pushing through the connection: I’m safe. With mer-people. Being taken to healers. Come to the coast—I’ll send signals.

The response was immediate and fierce:

Coming. Don’t move. We’re coming.

"They know where I am," Alex said aloud. "They’re coming."

"Good," Zale called back over his shoulder. "Then they’ll find you safe and cared for instead of floating in a raft in pre-labor. I think they’ll appreciate that."

[Probably! Though they might also be suspicious of the handsome mer-prince who’s providing all this care...]

"One crisis at a time," Alex muttered.

The ocean spread before them—vast and terrifying and beautiful.